


halfway out the door towards you

by sorelymythtaken



Category: Band of Brothers (TV 2001)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, everyone needs help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:27:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27716099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorelymythtaken/pseuds/sorelymythtaken
Summary: Lipton is just trying to run his hotel and pine for Speirs quietly. Luz decides they need to fake a relationship and shake it all up.
Relationships: Carwood Lipton & George Luz, Carwood Lipton/Ronald Speirs
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	halfway out the door towards you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IronPunk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronPunk/gifts).



“Why are you in my office? Dryers on the fritz again?” Carwood had no time, and definitely no patience, for Luz this morning. He also had no more budget to replace broken dryers until next quarter. His brother was already telling him how they needed to scale back and advertise more.

He collapsed in his chair and waited out Luz’s ridiculous rambles until he got to the actual point.

“Hot florist,” Luz declared dramatically.

Carwood knew about Luz’s crush on his florist, and because he looked like a kicked puppy, he didn’t laugh at him. Much.

“What? Now you don’t like my florist either?”

Luz leveled him a look. Carwood burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry, George. He always has the best estimates and the freshest flowers.” Carwood waved him away. “Why don’t you just go talk to him, and get outta my hair? Or better yet. Go fix a damn dryer.”

“He’s terrifying, Lip.” Luz faked a shudder. “But you know, in that hot way. Like the way you think--“

Carwood stood up and practically ran George out of his door.

“What the fuck, Lip?”

“This guy bothering you?”

Carwood could tell Ron was laughing at him. He didn’t move a muscle, but it was there. He looked at Ron’s face way too much.

“This guy was just leaving.”

“Yeah. Stand down, Speirs.” Luz all but stuck his tongue out at Ron. It was like he wanted to get boxed on the ears.

“Luz,” Carwood brought out his _dealing with unruly guests_ voice. “Go do what I told you to or go do some work. I know you don’t have to be here. You got other clients.”

“Yeah yeah. But don’t think this talk is over.” Luz made the motion that he was watching Carwood. He wondered if he could roll his eyes so hard one day they would actually get stuck.

“What was that about?” Ron sounded bored. He always sounded bored. Unless he sounded like he was ready to murder. There wasn’t a lot of in between.

“It was a lot of nonsense. You got something?” Carwood had a headache. Luz gave him a headache. The books gave him a headache. His stupid empty bed gave him a headache. Looking at Ron gave him a headache. He needed a drink.

“Just wanted to let you know I replaced all the batteries in the smoke detectors.” Ron loomed in the doorway. If it were anyone else, Carwood would think they were relaxed and leaning, but no. Ron only loomed. Even if he was sitting down.

“Great. Go home. See you tomorrow. You can do more useless tasks you invent for yourself.” Carwood had two more things to do on his list and then he was leaving. He had a meeting in the morning across town. Hopefully the place wouldn’t burn down while he was gone.

“You too, Lip. You look like shit.” Ron rapped his knuckles on the door before he left.

He knew. He still needed that drink.

@@

Carwood always liked his meetings with Nixon. They never really got to the point and then Nixon threw money at him. Always helped having a filthy stinking rich investor friend.

Except this time. This meeting. Carwood was leaving with a grumpy college kid in tow as someone new on his front desk just in time to start booking summer vacations. Sometimes being nice was for the fucking birds.

Carwood regretted every decision he had ever made that led him to this point. So far in the two hours since he’d arrived, David-- _Nixon’s family friend, call him Web, please give him a job, not like you really gotta pay him much, thanks, pal_ \--had knocked over a vase and two phones, lost three sets of keys and managed to piss off approximately thirty-eight guests. He didn’t have the time to babysit. He didn’t have time to lock himself in his office and scream into his chair cushion either, but hey. He was doing the best he could.

Ron walked by and caught the complimentary pens before they could go scattering across the floor and looked at David and then at Carwood like he had never seen intelligent life before.

He sighed.

David squeaked.

Ron got a bone-chilling smile.

“What’s this? A new lamb?”

“This is David Webster. He’s part time help.” Carwood all but threw his hands up in the air in helplessness.

“Friends call me Web.” He pointed at Ron with the chewed tip of his stolen hotel pen. “Are you doing like, a Hannibal cosplay or something?”

“That’s just his face. Fill out your forms.” He turned to Ron, but before he could say anything, Ron held up a hand.

“I like him. He’s shiny. I’ll make sure he doesn’t break the front desk. Or Muck.”

“Just don’t break him either. He’s Nix’s friend.” He patted Ron on the back and headed towards the dining room. “I owe you one.”

“I’ve got it on the list.” He saluted Carwood and turned to study David.

@@

“Luz. You’re one of my best friends, but right now, I don’t want to see your fucking face, man.” Lip leaned on his car and watched Luz gape like a fish.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Luz was way quieter than he normally was, and it immediately set off warning bells.

“I want to get a huge burger that’s bad for me, drink a beer, go to bed early and not have to think about anything for two whole days.” He opened his car door. “That doesn’t include you. I rarely get two whole days in a row away from here.” Not like he had any plans or anything other than catching up on some tv, but sometimes he just needed to not see the terrible migraine-inducing patterned carpet his brother had picked out.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about! Can I get that burger with you?” He moved way too far into Carwood’s personal space. He knew better than that. “Or we could get lunch tomorrow?” Luz also sounded like a terrible impression of Marilyn Monroe.

“What gives, George? Why the fuck are you so close to me?”

“Can you pretend you like me for a second so we can have that talk and then you can go home to your damned empty house.”

“You are really shifty right now.”

George had the nerve to look around like he was about to show off some stolen watches inside his trenchcoat. Apparently he found what he wanted because he backed up a good foot and Carwood felt himself relax. It would be a shame to have to punch out one of his best friends.

“I maybe kinda told the florist you were my boyfriend. Or something.” At least he had the good sense to look ashamed.

“Was this little show for him?” Carwood sighed. It was so long-suffering, it was from depths of his soul he hadn’t even accessed yet. “Get in the fucking car.”

Luz almost slipped in the gravel in his haste to scramble into the passenger seat.

  
  


“So what you’re telling me is that instead of saying you want to kiss him, marry him and have all his babies, you told him we were practically fucking engaged!?” Carwood stopped waving his french fry around and bit into it viciously.

“I’m sorry, Lip. I panicked, man.” Luz was dumping out enough ketchup for the entire diner, but he looked soothed by it, so Carwood let him go. “He was standing there with his stupid ass green flower shirt and his stupid ass jonquils and his stupid ass brown eyes and he asked me if we were dating all flirty like, and shit, man. Instead of upending all the flowers, I said yes. Yeah. We are clearly dating. Look how cute we are!”

Luz was getting hysterical. Again. Lip’s life was full of assholes. He just wanted to eat a burger and go home to watch all the Amelia Earhart special he had on DVR.

They were on their second craft beers from Carwood’s good stash before Carwood finally broke through Luz’s word vomit to tell him he’d think about this plan. His life was kind of boring. There was only one person he had thought about dating in what seemed like a lifetime but was probably three years. And it didn’t seem like Ron was thinking about dating him back. Maybe if he thought him and Luz were actually a thing?

Luz was a bad influence.

“I’ll give you three dates.” Carwood cut through Luz’s latest diatribe on the merits of how he’d be a fucking great fake boyfriend because mothers and babies loved him. Luz almost dropped his beer.

“But what about Saturday? I’m going to Ma’s for that church picnic thing?” George tried to give him the big eyes, but since they weren’t actually dating, they didn’t work on Carwood.

“I’m not breaking your ma’s heart by going there and telling her we’re together and then having to tell her we broke up because you were cheating on me with a florist.” 

He hid his smile behind his beer while George sputtered.

“Why do I gotta be the cheater here? You and Speirs are practically married, you know that right?”

He shrugged. “Well I guess I don’t if Toye thinks I’m sweet on you.” He didn’t mean to sound snappy, but Ron made him a little crazy.

“Toye?”

“Are you shitting me, George? You’re in love with the florist but don’t even know his name?” Carwood threw a couch cushion at him.

“Of course I know his name. His name is Joe! I pay attention to every bit of his chest.” He hugged the cushion and sighed like a teenage girl.

Carwood threw another cushion at him, and George fell on the ground pretending to die a terrible death by plaid. At least George was entertaining.

“How bout a week?”

“It probably won’t take that long. While you’re busy freaking out, Toye is busy looking at you like you’re the last cookie on the counter.”

“I didn’t think you noticed anyone else since you were always so busy studying. Getting that master’s in Ron Speirs.”

Carwood was grateful that he always flushed when he drank so he wouldn’t blush furiously now. Everyone knew, of course, but it never made it easier to talk about his big stupid crush on big stupid Ron.

“Shut up or I’m not doing this anymore.”

Luz threw the cushion back at him and was silent for almost twenty seconds. Might be a record.

“So should we make a plan?”

@@

Even though they’d seen each other a few times at the hotel, Carwood had the distinct impression that the current friend group gossip was about him and Luz. Tonight was the big test. They were going to the minor league baseball home opener they always went to, and Carwood and Luz had decided to show up together and announce their bullshit courtship. Carwood was only half looking forward to it. Usually he loved it because he got to throw popcorn at Ron and Bill and drink all the half price beers any one of his friends kept shoving in his hands. 

He tried to quit thinking about it and if the plan would even work and focus on work. Webster was still in training and breaking shit everyday, and there was a big group coming in later. He didn’t have time to think about maybes and what ifs right now.

Later when he emerged from his office cave, Luz was there talking to Toye and Web again, and as soon as he saw Carwood, he was throwing him looks that said ‘help me Jesus Christ I’m drowning’ and since Luz was his favorite fake boyfriend, he rescued him.

“So I was just telling Joe here about how we’re going to that ball game later. He was thinking about stopping by.”

Carwood knew exactly what to do to make sure Joe left with that sour look on his face. He grabbed George’s hand and tugged him into his own side, twining their fingers together hard enough to make George squeak. Carwood did not laugh when he saw Joe twitch.

“You should totally stop by. Half price beers. We’re all going.” He gestured around the lobby with his and Luz’s joined hands and the twitch became a full on spasm. This was definitely going to work out for George. Good for him.

He quit laughing internally though, when he saw Ron stalk toward them and after noticing how close George was tucked into Carwood’s side, abruptly turn and walk off toward the side entrance.

He aggressively didn’t think about Ron and his bad mood and dropped George’s hand to wrap his arm around his shoulders.

“So are you thinking of joining us? You can get a ride with Bill, right? You’re friends?” George laid his head on Carwood’s shoulder, and he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the ridiculousness of the entire fucking situation.

“Yeah maybe.” Toye started shoving shit back in his bag as violently as Carwood had ever seen him. “See you, Luz.” He nodded at Carwood and practically ran out the front.

@@

“Why aren’t you sitting with Speirs?” Muck was throwing the peanuts from his Cracker Jacks at the back of Tab’s head. It made Carwood almost sad that he wasn’t throwing popcorn at Ron. He didn’t have to be sad long though, because George came barrelling down the row with a whole box of fried shit neither of them needed.

“Get outta my fucking seat, Muck.”

“Since when we got assigned seats, Luz?” He threw a peanut at George.

“Since I want to sit by my boyfriend and get powdered sugar all over his face.” George did stick his tongue out at that.

For the first time since he’d known all these guys, everyone was silent at the same time.

“Did you guys know they are carding everybody now. This is some shit.” Well except Babe. He was oblivious when he walked up blabbering and almost dropped his hot dog at the scene.

“So uh, who died?”

“Not sure yet, Babe.” Malarkey was staring Carwood down, trying to see into his soul. It didn’t even phase him. He was used to Ron looking at him like that for just asking how he was in the mornings. “Luz here was telling us he’s dating Lip and Lip has gone uncharacteristically silent on the matter.”

“Lip? Is this true?” Babe took up the same stupid fucking tone of a tv judge as Malark.

“One. I’m not the most talkative among us so I’m not uncharacteristically anything.” He started marking shit off his fingers. He was on a roll now that the plan was out of the bag or whatever the hell was happening. “Two. Yes it’s true. Three. We’re not telling you any details. Deal with it. And Four. I think the other team just hit a grand slam.”

Muck threw the entire box of candy at Luz’s smug face.

Ron and Bill both said “You’re fucking kidding me.” Then looked at each other, narrowed their eyes, and didn’t say another word.

George sulked because Joe didn’t show up.

Their team lost badly.

The whole game was a clusterfuck.

@@

Carwood walked up to the front desk to check on Web. Ron was there. He didn’t expect Ron to ice him out, but hey. He didn’t expect being in a fake relationship with Luz either. It’s just another random Thursday in his never dull life.

“How’s it going, Webster? Do you need anything?” He was still flipping through some of his printouts and only paying a little attention to his answers, but when Ron spoke up in the flattest voice he’d heard since they first met, he stopped reading and dropped his glasses and his papers on the counter.

“He’s fine. I’ve taken care of him.”

“So you like him?” He tried to smile but Ron’s glare was blocking all happy receptors in the room. “Right. Well he should feel lucky, I guess.”

Ron turned on his heel and walked toward the offices.

Carwood turned back to Webster who seemed mostly unphased by that display. “Well you should. Feel lucky, by the way. He doesn’t like a lot of people.” He gathered all his shit and started walking off to where he spotted Luz last. “Don’t know who pissed in his Cheerios this morning.”

“Well.” Webster leaned his elbows on the counter. “I think it was you, sir. He’s been cranky for several days. Did you tell him he had to wear a tie to work or something?” He looked facetious. Or Carwood was suspicious of everyone figuring him and Luz out now. Whatever, he had work to do.

“Right. Stand up straight, Webster. Try not to kill another phone. You’re about to start owing me money.”

He snapped his papers on the counter and almost ran to his office.

Despite his earlier churlish (everyday) behavior, Ron still came up to him before he left. “You still coming over tomorrow to watch the game? I got that weak ass beer you pretend to like.”

“I didn’t know that was still on?” He knew it was. It always was. Carwood was probably the only one of their friends that actually got to see the inside of Ron’s house.

“Sorry I didn’t update your google calendar, your highness.”

He shrugged slowly. He had formulated a plan for this eventuality but wasn’t sure if he was going to be too chickenshit and back out or not. He decided to go for it. Ron could not get any pissier than he was right now. It delighted the fuck out of Carwood.

“Well since it wasn’t in my calendar, I made other plans. Luz and I are going to the aquarium. He likes the penguins.”

Ron did not move at all. Not even an eye twitch. Carwood felt like fucking hysterically laughing. This was both the best and worst thing he’d done to date. He had never actually canceled on Ron before, just always made himself available in the hopes that one day Ron would remove his head from his ass and get with the program. Carwood had no idea he was insane until this moment. He’s pretty sure Ron had some idea. Well he had a small idea. He was attracted to Ron Speirs after all.

“You still call your boyfriend by his last name?” If Ron could have put more derision on the word ‘boyfriend,’ Carwood would have been blown backward out of his chair.

He shrugged again just to see if Ron would blink at all.

“I mean. I wouldn’t call him my boyfriend. It’s been two dates. And he’ll always be Luz. Just like I’ll always be Lip. Even to you.” He stared Ron right in the eye.

“Well if we were dating,” Ron looked like Carwood was holding a gun to his head to force him to say those words. It still made Carwood go hot all over to hear it. “If we were, I’d call you Woody.”

Ron pushed off the door frame and was stalking back out toward the lobby before Carwood could object.

@@

“Thanks for going to the aquarium with me,” Luz said as they walked into the diner. Lip had wanted to go pretty much anywhere else, but it defeated the purpose of being seen together if they weren’t seen together.

They waved at Penk and Babe behind the counter and took one of their usual booths, Luz sliding in the same side right up close to Carwood.

“Be right up with drinks, boys.” Penk called back to them. “You waiting on more? Do you want a pitcher?”

“Nope, just us!” Luz cheerfully offered. He grabbed Carwood’s hand and entwined their fingers on the scratched table.

“Riiight.” Penk raised his eyebrows but didn’t say another word.

“You’re welcome by the way.” When Luz looked at Carwood, he continued, “For going with you. I don’t get to go and do much stuff like that with just one other person. It was fun.”

“Who knew petting manta rays could be so relaxing? I mean, I’m not sure if you noticed, Lip, but I’m occasionally high strung. I’m just gonna start fucking hanging out at manta ray tanks and get a nice dose of touching wet, rubbery things.”

Carwood could not help the giggles that started at that. “That’s not suspicious at all, George. Definitely start that hobby.”

“It’s not a hobby, my dear man, it’s my new life passion.”

Carwood put his head on the table and laughed helplessly at Luz. When he looked at him next, Luz was grinning at him ear to ear.

“Thanks for making me laugh today, buddy.” He slung an arm around Luz and tugged him closer.

Luz dropped his head on Lip’s shoulder. “You’re too serious, dude. Oh, shit, wait.” He darted a glance at the counter, and Carwood followed it to see Babe and Gene with their heads close and sneaking looks at them. Luz dropped the menu he was fiddling with and picked up Carwood’s hand again. “You’re too serious, sugar pie. You have to smile more.” Luz angled his head up to look at him. “Good thing you have me.” He dropped his voice and widened his smile. “Are they still looking?”

Carwood matched his whisper, “Yes.”

“Good. Let’s hope this gets back to the right parties.” Luz wagged his eyebrows all exaggerated and almost set Carwood into a fit of giggles again.

This close to George and faced with that smile, Lip could not figure out why he didn’t have people standing five deep waiting to date him. He might be in the line himself if he weren’t so fucking helplessly in love with a pretty box of rocks. 

He sighed and rested his head on George’s while they waited for Penk to head back over.

@@

“So what’s this we hear about you and Luz?”

Lip smiled at Bull and how he always called him and Jenny a ‘we.’ If anyone was a unit it was definitely them. Even now, she picked up the conversation.

“We always liked Georgie, but we thought.” She waved her hand delicately at basically all of Carwood’s existence.

He sighed. Might as well come clean to someone.

“Well. The thing is. We aren’t really dating.”

Bull outright fucking laughed at him because honestly, what other response was there.

“What the hell are you even doing, Lip?”

“Good question. I mean. Luz is hung up on his florist and well.”

Jenny patted his knee as she walked past him toward the kitchen. “We know your situation. We just didn’t think it would take resorting to junior high antics, Carwood.”

“Neither did I. But here I am.”

“So now what?” Bull asked him like he knew Lip already had a plan.

He, in fact, did not have a plan. Or a way out. Or an endgame. Or even a fraction of a goddamn idea of what he was doing.

So he shrugged.

“Well get everybody together and y’all come out with us for Mexican on Thursday. I’ll buy you all the beers.”

“Looks like you’re gonna need ‘em, honey. Now, you staying for dinner?”

@@

That Monday was weird for Carwood. He was almost supernaturally aware of everything Ron and George were doing, and he could hardly focus on his paperwork. He actually didn’t mind paperwork. It was a nice change from people. What he did mind, though, was Ron pacing around the lobby like a caged cat. He was going to scare anyone shitless that happened through. And possibly Web. Although, it looked like Web was laughing at him. Hope he wasn’t going to die soon, Carwood finally got him trained.

When he went out to see why Ron was pacing, he ran into Toye with the week’s new flowers.

“Hey, those are nice. I like blue. What are they?” He tried to smell them, and Toye jerked them back.

“They aren’t for here. You got daisies.” He nodded his head and turned smartly on his heel.

“Um, thanks?” The day just got weirder and weirder. Usually Joe was nice to him. He should maybe find out if George had talked to him recently.

“Excuse me, Mr. Lipton.” Web was tapping a pen against the guestbook. He had never called him Mr. Lipton. What the fuck was happening?

“Yes, Mr. Webster?” He leaned against the counter in Ron’s eyeline. Ron tried to pace the other direction.

“Can you please remove him from my area? He is making my guests uncomfortable. And frankly, he’s being a giant asshole baby.”

Ron growled at Web. It did nothing to dispel Lip’s caged cat theory. Or Web’s asshole baby one, either. 

Carwood stood in Ron’s path. “What the fuck is wrong with you.”

“Where’s Luz?” Ron crossed his arms.

“Around.” Well hell, Carwood crossed his, too.

“He should be here. You should kiss him.” Ron squared up like he was expecting Lip to lunge at him. Which also again, what the fuck?

“That’s nice that you think of me having a sweet break in my day, but no.” He’s not even sure how he managed the even tone, but he was doing a hell of a job.

“See? He’s not really your damn boyfriend.”

“And again. What the fuck is with you?” His cool, even tone was almost disinterested. “Why is this suddenly so damn interesting to you?”

“Kiss. Him.” Ron dropped his arms and took a step toward Carwood.

Carwood did not and was not moving. This was his hotel, dammit. “Will you be less of a dick and get out of my lobby?”

Ron was still advancing on him. “Probably not. But you already knew that.”

He tried again. “Will you drop this?”

“Also probably not. You already owe me too fucking much, Carwood.”

“Fine.” He threw his hands up in the air. “Find him.”

He didn’t take his eyes off Ron, but he saw a flurry of activity as Muck and Web scrambled around the other side of the counter, each to presumably go a different way to find his not-quite-boyfriend.

Ron never even fucking blinked.

Carwood wasn’t sweating, but he wasn’t exactly calm either, okay. He didn’t want to kiss Luz. He wanted to give the illusion they were dating, break it off in the nebulous future, move straight into Ron’s house because it’s bigger and never think about this again.

But here he was.

George was standing in front of him, looking up at him expectantly and a little afraid. He hadn’t thought this far, either. Ron had retreated to behind the desk with Web. His arms were still cross. Toye was looking at them from around the daisies.

What a shitshow.

He took George’s hand and looked around at his friends and rolled his eyes.

“I’m doing this out of protest because all of you are assholes. I can’t believe you wouldn’t believe us. What are we? Fourteen?” He looked as disapprovingly as he could at everyone before returning his gaze back to Luz.

He just raised his eyebrows in an imitation of “let’s do this.”

George leaned in, Carwood leaned in, but before he could actually get his lips on George’s he was unceremoniously yanked backward and toward his office. George was standing staring after him with his hand still outstretched.

After they reached his office, Ron let go of his arm, shut and locked the door.

It was Carwood’s turn to cross his arms.

“Okay what the fuck, Speirs? First you want proof and then you don’t want me to kiss my boyfriend? Make up your mind.”

Ron took a breath but he still looked furious. And a little constipated because he had to explain what he just did.

“Break up with him.”

Carwood shook his head. He was a little sad and a lot pissed off.

“Why?”

“Because I said.” Ron shrugged.

“That’s not a good enough reason, Ron.” He could do this. He could.

Ron sighed and slumped on the door. “Okay. I won’t call you Woody.”

“Great. Thanks? What does that have to do with you locking us in my office after demanding I kiss my boyfriend after accusing me that we aren’t really dating?” Carwood took a deep breath. “I’m tired, Ron.”

Ron closed his eyes and squared his shoulders.

“Break up with him. And go out with me.”

Carwood resisted the urge to dance a jig around his fucking desk. Instead, he asked as calmly as could manage, “Why would I do that?”

Ron looked anywhere but at him. “Come on, Carwood.”

“Yes, Ron. We both are gonna have to say some shit here because I can’t keep doing this and if you want me to break up with him, tell me a good reason. Or let me out so I can go back to work.”

Ron kicked out at the door. “Fuck. Fine.” He turned his back to Carwood and did something he couldn’t see. He hoped it was those breathing exercises that Nix paid that shrink for so he would stop punching holes in all the damn walls. Carwood liked his office door intact.

When he turned back around his face looked softer, but still constipated.

“Okay. I like you. For a while now. Hell, I probably love you already, but I want to kiss you to figure that out. And I don’t like the thought of you kissing Luz. And we work well together. We look nice together. You make me happy. Fuck. And I have a bigger house.” When he was done he looked like he’d run a marathon.

Carwood imagined he had in a way. He rarely said so much at once.

“Alright. My turn. Same about liking you for a while. You mean the most to me and I can see us together. I don’t like the thought of kissing Luz if I have the option to kiss you. I would like to make you happier. You have to fucking talk to me though. We can’t keep this up, yeah.” He gestured at them and then at whatever the hell was happening outside the door.

“I can do that, Carwood. For you. But not at work in front of everyone. Probably.” Ron smiled at him. He didn’t even look like he wanted to eat Carwood’s family. It was beautiful.

“Are you gonna kiss me now? Wasn’t that the point of this?” Carwood pushed himself off his desk and stalked toward Ron.

“Break up with him first.” Ron shrugged like he didn’t even care.

“Fine.” Carwood rolled his eyes. “But I don’t owe you. You’re wiping my list.” He unlocked the door, but before he could pull it open Ron put his hand over Carwood’s.

Ron leaned down to whisper directly in Carwood’s ear. “You’re debt isn’t completely clear, but we can definitely renegotiate, Mr. Lipton. Break up with Luz first.”

Carwood yanked the door open and yelled out into the lobby, “George Luz!” He waited until he heard Luz say “what even” back then continued. “I’m breaking up with you, buddy! Good luck!”

He heard something crash and break, but whatever, more pressing matters. Then he slammed the door shut and whirled around to face Ron.

Ron pushed him back into the door and cupped his face and kissed him hard.

Right before Carwood was about to wrap his arms around Ron’s neck and pull Ron farther into him, Ron said, “You can do better, Woody.”

Carwood punched his shoulder and slid down the door laughing.

They could have that perfect kiss after work and keep perfecting it for as long as Carwood felt like it.


End file.
